What to look for in an Online English speaking course in India?

We have covered quite a lot of articles when it comes to choosing online English speaking classes. Our blog series have discussed shortlisting frameworks, guides etc. to enable you in decision making when it comes to selecting an online spoken English course.

If this wasn’t enough, today we have one more guide to consider when you are looking to enroll to an online English speaking course in India. This article is for all our students who have done their schooling in India. And why is this article pertinent to only Indian students?

Indian students are unique when it comes to language education since all of them are bilingual. This means that in 99% of the cases their mother tongue is a different language other than English. If that’s not a task in itself, they also well versed if not fluent in their national language which is Hindi.

These students, as children or as young adults, have unique learning requirements when they are learning English as their second language (or third or fourth!). Simply enrolling to courses tagged as some best online English speaking course is not enough.

Today’s blog is our attempt to guide these students in their English learning journey.

Need for Online English speaking course in India:

Firstly, lets discuss why do Indian students require additional language coaching? Most schools in Indian cities teaching in English as the primary medium or language of education. Though smaller towns and cities too have English schools, despite this, we still do encounter equal number of student enquiries from all over India.

If these students have been schooled in English for more than 10 years, why do they need additional English language education? Let’s deduce this peculiarity.

• English schooling is simply a ruse- Most of these educational institutions though termed “English medium” the quality of language education is very poor. In most instances, students are not trained in English basics early on and thus suffer tremendously in their conversational skills.
• Basic framework of language education is absent- Most schools do not really stress on language basics such as English grammar, English vocabulary building or word pronunciations. By the time children reach 6^th or 7^th grades, it becomes difficult to hone on their language skills since newer subjects and topics are added to their curriculum.
• Rote style learning impacts spoken English skills- In most Indian schools thanks to the sheer competition, students are loaded with assignments. Rather than spoken English fluency, the emphasis is more on writing skills. In most instances, students simply learn by repetition. Moreover, teachers usually are unable to provide individual attention since most classes have a minimum of 30 students and more.
• Spoken English practice is minimal- English medium education was only for the elite few in the 1980” s. Many Catholic missionaries set up schools across India which made English language education slightly more accessible but quality of English language education was not necessarily up to the mark. Even in the last decade, especially in smaller towns and cities, spoken English fluency among school children is not entirely a priority.
• Mother tongue imparts a sticky vernacular accent- It is said that most Indians speak different versions of English- it can be Hindi influenced English- Hinglish, Minglish and so on. We have our own evolving vocabulary that is neither seen in British or American English. Indians speak English with heavy accents, accents imparted by their mother tongues. At Speechify, we believe that accents are great. But despite their rich cultural heritage, most students look for accent “polishing” English courses.

Thus, if you see, though Indians are groomed in English medium education, they need not necessarily be fluent in spoken English or English basics etc. With the booming economy and more FDI’s in Indian economic sector, jobs sprang up. We have already discussed in another article how English language education is extremely crucial for your career success.

Thus, the demand for English fluency, spoken as well as written simply is on the rise. And competitive Indians are out there to hone their skills come what may!

So as an Indian from an English medium school, what should you look for in an Online English speaking course in India?

You must have already realized that your learning requirements are unique. Thus, your course selection should be smart, be it for regular classroom training or online English speaking courses.

Here are few factors to consider before you enroll to one:

• Define your learning requirement- What is it that you seek to learn, written or spoken English fluency? Or accent softening lessons? Once you know what aspect of English language education requires focus will you know which course fits the bill for your unique requirement.
• Look for courses that have flexible curriculums- Most English courses offer flexible learning hours. But very few (like Speechify) also offers options to design your learning curriculum (contingent to you knowing your English language basics).
• Opt for private English lessons- Choose for personalized attention over group tuitions. Private English lessons with an online English tutor will facilitate a faster pace of learning and are not necessarily expensive on your pocket.
• Be realistic and don’t fall for scams- Be wise, you know English to some extent and thus you must understand that you cannot master English in 30 days or 3 weeks and similar dubious claims. Do not fall for these scams, understand that quality education needs time.
• Do not be ashamed of your accent- We will repeat how many times ever it takes, but accents are unique and a part of your cultural identity. Do not enroll to online English courses to “polish” off your vernacular pronunciations. If anything, own your accent and be proud that you are bilingual (or multilingual as is the case for most Indians!)

Thus, if you see, most Indians form English medium schools struggle with basics such as English grammar, English vocabulary and in 90% of the cases- its spoken English fluency. This means, though they know how to speak in English, they are not confident since they are not fluent speakers. This requires a different approach to language coaching, what we at Speechify term as “conversational style” of spoken English fluency training.

At Speechify, we believe that fluency in English is only possible with regular practice. Our English tutors are well versed with training thousands of Indian students and guiding them towards spoken English fluency. Try a free demo lesson with our online English teachers today!